Fluorescent lamp holder



Sept. 4, 1962 E. G. GAYNoR FLUORESCENT LAMP HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 8, 1958 Sept. 4, 1962 E. G. GAYNOR FLUoREscENT LAMP HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 8, 1958 INVENTOR' fdwin GL Gayrzor M4, W V40 orneys 3,052,364 FLUGRESCENT LAl'tdP HOLDER Edwin G. Gaynor, 68 Church Hill Road, Bridgeport, Conn.

Filed Dec. S, 1958, Ser. No. 778,834 2 Claims. (Cl. 339-53) This invention relates to a fluorescent lamp holder and to means for mounting the holder on a fixture.

Competition in the manufacture of both fluorescent lamp holders and fix'tures is keen, and anything which can reduce costs is valuable. A substantial part of the cost of fixtures goes into the cost of making the fluorescent lamp holder and into the cost of the labor required to mount the holder on the fix'ture. What is needed therefore, and compr-ises the principal object of this invention is to devise ways of reducing 'these costs.

Conventional fluorescent lamp holders comprise a molded plastic Shell, The comparatively large elongated terminals for connection vwith the pins of a iluorescent lamp are positioned in terminal receiving portions of the shell and are held in place by means of a closure member. This closure member is formed vfrom an insulating paper-like material lwhich is fastened to the shell by means of screws or 'the like. A portion of the terminals is provided -with threaded openings which receive screws so that power Vwires can be connected to them.

The entire assem-bled lamp holder is mounted on the fixture by means of another screw which is designed to penetrate an opening in the fixture and a threaded opening or nut on the body of the shell. It is apparent from this that, even after the shell is formed, a comparatively large investment in metal, tools, 'and assembly time is necessary, first to complete 'and assemble the holder and then to mount -i-t on the body of the fixture.

In addition to these considerations, existing fluorescent lamp holders must 'be mounted on a support which is parallel 'to the axis of the fluorescent lamp. This is often inconvenient, when the available support surface is perpendicular to 'the lamp, such as when the lamp is to be horizontally mounted Vand is to be plugged directly into an opening in ;a Wall, because, .in such a case, it would be necessary to go to the trouble and expense of providing a separate horizontal support member which is attached to the wall and to which 'the lamp holders may be secured.

What is needed therefore and comprises an irnportant object of this invention is .a lholder for fiuorescent lamps which can be completely and easily assembled from its component parts without the use of any tools.

A further object of this invention is to provide a fluorescent lamp holder having electric terminals which are easy to fabricate and install in the body of the holder, and which uses substantially less metal than terminals in existing holders.

Another object of this inventi'on is to provide a terminal for fiuorescent lamp holder which has means on one end for receiving and gripping a pin on an elecronic device while the other end is shaped to extend inside a quick connect female terminal.

Still another object of -this invention is to provide a lamp holder and a fixture which can be quickly, easily and removably fastened together without the use of any tools.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a fluorescent lamp holder which is mounted on a supporting surface and which is provided with means for gripping the pins of a fiuorescent lamp and holding them so they are perpendicular to 'the holder supporting surface.

These and other objects of the invention will become 1052,864; Patented Sept. 4, 1962 more apparent `when read in the light of the accomp'any'- ing drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 .is ra side elevational view of the end portion of a fiuorescent lamp shown plugged into a holder constructed according to one embodiment of 'this invention and which is shown mounted on the supporting surface of a fiX-ture.

FIG. 2 s yan enlarged sectional view on line 2-2 of PIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-'3 of FIG. 1.

FG. 4 is a top view of the uorescent lamp holder and supporting surface .shown in FIGS. 1-3.

PIG. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of FIG. 2 With the supporting pontion omitted.

FEG. 6 is a partial sectional view on line 6-6 of FIG. 2 with the supporting portion omi'tted.

TIG. 7 is a sectional view on line 7- 7 of FIG. 1 with the lamp omitted.

PIG. 8 is a sectional view on line 8-8 of FIG. 1 with the suppo-rting portion omitted.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view :on line 9-9 of FIG. 8.

PIG. 10 is a sectional view on line 19-10 of FIG. 7.

PIG. ll is a side elevational view pantly in section showing one terminal constructed according to one embodiment 'of this invention and connected to a pin on a iluorescent lamp.

FiG. 12 is a perspective view of a terminal for the holder constructed according to the embodiment of FIGS. l and 11 and showing in dotted lines a quick connect female coupling connected to 'it :at .one end -and the pin of a liuorescent tube connected to it at the other end.

PIG. 13 is a front elevational view of another embodiment of a fiuorescent lamp holder constructed according to 1the principles of this invention.

PIG. 14 is 'a side elevational view of the fluorescent lamp holder shown in FIG. 13, with the end -portion of a fiuorescent tube in dotted lines.

`FlG. 15 is a rear elevational view 'of the embodiment of the fluorescent lamp holder shown in FIG. 13.

F IG. 16 is :a bottom view of the fluorescent lamp holder constructed according to the embodiment of FIG. 13.

PIG. 17 is a perspective view of the terminal for the holder of FIG. 13.

`Referring now to PIG. 1, a fixture for fluorescent lamps indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 comprises the usual reflecting surface 12 and holder support portion 14. A holder indicated generally 'by the reference numeral 16 for fiuorescent lamp 18 is mounted on support portion 14 in a manner to 'be described below.

As seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, holder 16 has opposed parallel planar surfaces 2G and 22, and in this particular em- -bodiment, the holder comprises a molded plastic base member indicated generally by vthe reference numeral 24 and a molded plastic cover indicated generally by the reference numeral 25, see FIGS. 7 and 8. As seen, base member 24 and cover 26 are circular in cross section, but this is not essential and other cross sectional shapes are contemplated and can be used.

Base member 24 has opposed surfaces 22 and 28, see FIGS. 5 and 6. Spaced parallel grooves 30 and 32 (FG. 8) are formed on surface 28 and in this embodiment both of these grooves intersect the periphery of the base member to permit the entrance of terminal pins 19 extending vfrom a fluorescent lamp 18, as described below. This arrangement is attractive and compact, but it is not essential, and other arrangements are possible and are contemplated. For example, the holder could have a single narrow pin receiving groove which communicates with the periphery of the holder at one end while the other end communicates with an enlarged openiug. The entrance to the spaced parallel grooves could communicate with another edge of this enlarged opening,

so that the fluorescent lamp pins could be inserted through the narrow groove or passage endwise, and when they move into the enlarged opening the tube could be rotated on its aXes until the pins can enter the spaced parallel grooves.

'Ihe sides of grooves 30 and 32 are enl-arged adjacent surface 28 to provide seats 34 for terminals 38, -as described below, see FIG. 9. Terminal receiving openings 36 are formed in base member 24 which extend between opposed surfaces 22 and 28, substantially transverse thereto, see FIG. 6, but it is evident 'that other angular relationships between -the surfaces and the openings are possible. The entrance to these openings in surface 28 are in spaced relation to and in alignment with grooves 30 and 32, see FIG. 8.

Terminals 38 in this embodiment are formed as by stamping from an elongated piece of electrically conductive metal. Each terminal is L-shaped in longitudinal cross section forming end portions 40 and 42, see FIGS. 11 and 12. These terminals are mounted on base member 24 with end portions 40 in alignment with grooves 30- and 32 and in engagement |with seats 34, and With end portions 42 extending inside the terminal receiving openings 36, see F'IG. 6. As seen in FIG. 8,

' the width of terminal receiving openings 36 is substantially equal to the 'width of the terminals 38, and consequently functions as a terminal positioning structure, so that the terminals 38, can be easily and accurately mounted on abse member 24 by simply inserting end portions 42 of terminals 38 in openings 36 until end portions 40 engage seats 34.

As seen in FIG. 12, end portion 40 of terminal 38 is split longitudinally defining a pair of tapered gripping jaws 4,4. The facing edges 46 of the gripping jaws are recessed to provide complementary seat portions 48 for the pins 19 on a fluorescent lamp. These seat portions in 'free position vare spaced apart 'a distance less than the thickness or diameter of fluorescent lamp pins 19 so that the stress produced in the terminal by -forcing the pin of vthe fluorescent lamp inwardly between lthe gripping jaws and into the seat portions of the terminal is sufficient to cause the jaws to gripithe terminal pin and provide 'an electrically conductive connection with it. End portion 42 of terminal 38 is unsplit, planar, thin, and elongated so that it can be received within a resilient quick connect female clip.

With this arrangement, it is evident-that the grooves 30 and 32 of lbase member 24 act to receive and guide pins 19 of a fiuorescentlamp into engagement with jaws 44 of -a terminal 38.

Surface 22 of base member 24 is provided with an outwardly projecting and transverse elongated boss 50, see FIG. 6. The outer end 52 of boss 50 is provided with spaced parallel openings 54 which extend inwardly toward surface 28, see 'FIGS. 3 and 6. The end of each opening 54 remote from outer end 52 of the |boss communicates with a terminal receiving opening 36, so that when Vterminals 38 are mounted on base member 24, end

' portions 42 extend inside openings 54, see FIG. 6. As

seen, the height of openings 54 is substantially larger than theV thickness of terminal end portion 42. The reason is that the height and width of openings 54 are designed to slightly exceed corresponding dimensions of a quick connect female clip 56, so that, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 6, the female clip can be snugly received in the openings 54 -and move into mating contact with terminal end portion 42, see FIG. 12. The length of boss 50 also serves to align the holder on its support portion 14 as described below. It is further noted that the end of terminal end portion '42 is inwardly spaced from end 52 of the |boss vto prevent damage to the tips 'of the terminals due to accidental lblows. In addition to 'these features, base member 24 is provided With a post receiving vopening 57 (PIG. which in this particular embodiment 4 happens to extend transversely between surfaces 22 and 28 for reasons to be described below.

Cover 26 includes peripheral flanges 60- Which are adapted to ernbrace a substantial portion of the peripheral side surfaces of holder 24, see FIG. 5. In addition, cover 26 has spaced parallel pin receiving slots 62 and 64 extending to its periphery, see FIG. 7. These slots vare spaced so they are in coextensive alignment with grooves 30 and 32 on base member 24 when the cover is fixed thereon with fianges 60 embracing portions of the periphery of the holder 24, as shown in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6. When cover 26 is applied, inner surface 66 of cover 26 engages surface 28 of 'base member 24 clamping terminal end portions 40 on seats 34 in grooves 30 and 32, see PIG. 6.

A post 68 extends outwardly `and transversely from surface 66 and is rigidly secured thereto. This post is sized to penetrate opening '57 in base member 24 when the cover is on the body. When so assembled, a portion 70 of post 68 projects outwardly beyond surface 22, see FIGS. 5 and 6.

To assernble the holder without using any tools or other specialized equipment, it is only necessary to insert end portions 42 of terminals 38 in terminal receiving openings 36, and then place cover 26 on 'base member 24 with post 68 extending through post receiving opening 57. A slight force may be necessary because the diameter of the flanges 60 of the cover preferably is sized so that the fit :between cover 26 and base member 24 is tight enough to prevent the cover from falling oif the base member, but not too tight to prevent the parts from being easily separated.

Support portion 14 is provided with openings 7'2 and 74 which are similar in shape and size to post end portion 70 and boss 50, see PIG. 3. To mount holder 16 on support portion `14, it is only necessary to orient the holder so that end portion 70 of post 68 penetrates openings 72 and boss 50 penetrates opening 74, see PIG. 4. This prevents the holder from rotating on the support member. A quick connect clip, such as a Tinner'man hold 76, see FIG. 3, may be forced on the end of post 70 to quickly and easily lock holder 16 on support portion 14. It is noted that this also simultaneously locks cover 26 to base member 24.

As seen in FIG. 4, end 52 of boss 50 extends through the support 14. With this arrangement, power leads 78 and 80, which terminate in quick connect female clips 56, can be inserted through openings 54 into removable mating connection with end portions 42 of terminals 40 in the holder, 'without the necessity of using any tools or removing the holder from the support.

In conventional fluorescent light fixtures, the holders are often designed so that the power leads come into the holder yat right angels to the direction of projection of the pns on the fluorescent lamp, and structures are often Wired With this in mind. In the modification shown in FIGS. 13-17, the holder is designed to take advantage of this arrangement so that it may be used in existing fixtures and structures without any wiring changes.

As seen in FIG. 13, a holder constructed according to the principles of this invention and indicated generally by the reference numeral comprises a lamp engaging portion 92 and a support engaging portion 94, see FIGS. 14 and 16. The lamp engaging portion has opposed parallel surfaces 96 and 97 and the support engaging portion has opposed parallel surfaces 98 and 99 so that the assembled holder has opposed parallel surfaces 96 and 98, see FIG. 14.

Lamp engaging portion 92 has spaced parallel slots '100 which extend from peripheral surface 101 of portion 92 and communicate with the opposed parallel surfaces 96 and 97, so that passages are provided which extend completely through the lamp engaging portion 92. In addition, surface 97 of portion 92 is provided with grooves 104 which eXtend inwardly from surface 97 toward surface speaeea 96 and terminate in walls or seats 196, see FIG. 14. A post extends outwardly from surface 97 for reasons to be described below.

Projecting members 1 are formed on surface 99 of the support engaging member 94. These projecting members have a periphery which is similar in shape to the periphery of a portion of the holder terminal described below. n addition, a post receiving opening 112 extends through portion 94 communicating with the opposed parallel surfaces 9% and 99, see 14 and 15.

A boss 3.14 extends from a peripheral surface of the holder. As seen in EEG. 16, the boss is somewhat similar in Shape to the boss 50 on the holder in the .modific tion of FIG. 1. In this case, however, the boss is formed from radial portions 116 and 11% extending from portions 92 and 94. These radial portions are provided with complementary shaped recesses which when the holder portions 92 and 94 are secured together form enlarged openings 129, see PIG. 16. Openings 129 serve same function as the openings S4 in the embodiment of HG. 3, but they diffcr in that they extend in directions transverse to the direction of the fiuorescent lamp pins in the holder.

Since the configuration of the holder shown in iJlGS. 13-16 is different from the holder shown in EEG. 1, it is evident that changes are necessary in the shape of the holder terminals, indicated generally by the reference numeral 124, see PIG. 17. This modified terminal is provided with end portions 126 and 128 which are oppositely extcnding in spacecl parallel relation. These end portions are joined by an intermediate and transverse connecting portion 139. As seen, end portions `126 and 123 are similar in shape and function to the end portions 49 and 42 in terminal 38.

To assemble the modified holder without using any tools, it is only necessary to position each terminal 124 so end poion 126 rests on seat 1436 in holder portion 92, see PIG. 14. Then when post 1518 of portion 92 is inserted in opening 112 of portion 94, and the portions 92 and 94 are forced together, projection :if-G on surface 99 of portion 94 will move into engagement with portion 126 of the terminal 124, thus clamping portion 126 between seat 1696 and projections 119. As seen, end portion 128 of terminal 124 extends into the opening 12%.

End portion 199 of post ih' extends through portion 94 of the holder and beyond surface 93, see 14. rIhis post portion along with post 111 extending from surface 98 is adapted to ezttend through correspondingly shaped openings in a support (not shown). 'ihis arrangement prevents the holder from rotating on the support and the holder can be conveniently secured to the support by means of a quick connect clip, such as a Tinnerman hold. lt is noted again that this connection also simultaneously locks the holder portions 92 and 94 together when the holder is being mounted on a support.

lt is evident that power leads terminating in female quick connect clips as shown in FEG. 4 conveniently and quiclrly connect to terminals 124 in this modification by inserting them into openings 12A)1 in the same way as in the modification of FIG. 1.

The invention may be embodied in other forms withoutl departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof as set forth in the claims, and the present embodiment is therefore to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive and it is intended to include all changes which come within the scope -and range of the claims.

I claim:

1. A holder for fluorescent lamps comprising in combination a base member and a cover, said base member having opposed surfaces and a post receiving opening extending between them, one surface of said base member having spaced parallel grooves for providing terminal seats, and aligning means for on'enting the holder with respect to 'a support, said aligning means including boss means extending from the surface of said base member opposite to the surface with said grooves, said boss means adapted to eXten-d through at least one correspondingly shaped opening on a support for alignment of the base member thereon, said cover having parallel pin receiving slots formed therein, said slots spaced so they are in alignment with said grooves on said base member when the cover is fixed thereon whereby both the aligned grooves and slots are adapted to receive the pins on a fiuorescent lamp for attachment of said pins to terminals mounted on said terminal seats, a post rigidly secured to said cover, said post adapted to extend completely through the post receiving opening in said base member when said cover is on said base member with a portion of said post entending beyond said opposite surface of said base member and adapted to extend through an opening in .e support for engagement with a quick connect looking clip so that the cover is loclred on said base member when the holder is attached to said support.

2. A holder for fluorescent lamps comprising in combination a base member and a cover, said base member having opposed surfaces with terminal receiving openings and a post receiving opening extending between them, surface of said base member having spaced parallel grooves formed therein and providing terminal seats, the entrances to said terminal receiving openings in said one surface in communication with said grooves, boss means extending from the surface of said base member opposite to said grooves, said boss means adapted to extend through at least one opening on a support for alignment of the base member thereon, said terminal receiving openings extending through said boss means so that terminals in the holder may be connected to or disconnected from a source of electric power without removing the holder from the support, said cover having parallel pin receiving slots formed therein, said slots spaced so they are in alignment with said grooves on the base member when the cover is fixed thereon whereby the aligned grooves and slots are adapted to receive the pins of a fluorescent lamp for attachment of said pins to terminals on said terminal seats, a post rigidly secured to said cover, said post adapted to extend completely through the post receiving opening in said base member, a portion of said post extending beyond said opposite surface of said base member when said cover is on said base member, said portion of said post adapted to extend through an opening in the support for engagement with a quick connect looking clip so that the cover is attached to said base member When the holder is locked to said support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,277,648 Krauss Mar. 24, 1942 2,402,94l Bixby July 2, 1946 2,616,643 Budd Nov. 4, 1952 2,685,074 Lazzery July 27, 1954 2,739,2G8 Ullrich Mar. 20, 1956 2,767,349` Feinberg Oct. 16, 1956 2,866,171 Wagner et al Dec. 23, 1958 2,95%,066 Humphrey Oct. 25, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 216,549 Australia Aug. 4, 1958 541,306 Great Britain Nov. 21, 1941 873,224 France Mar. 9, 1942 OTHER REFERENCES Tele-Tech (publication), Tele-Tech & Electronics Industries, February 1955, page 42. 

